Scriptures Opened and Cases of Conscience Resolved, Jeremiah · Passage 29:7
Jer. 29. 7.
And ſeek the peace of the City whither I have cauſed you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it, for in the peace thereof ſhall ye have peace.
Q. Why ſhould the people of God ſeek and pray for the peace of Babylon wherein they were miſerable Captives?
A. For the anſwer of this Queſtion, two things are to be conſidered: 1. What is meant by ſeeking, and ſeeking to God for the peace of that City. 2. For what reaſon they were to do it?
Firſt, In this ſeeking and praying for the peace of the City, two things are comprehended.
1. Seeking, ſtudying and praying for, the peace of the King, whoſe Subjects now they were, becauſe God delivered them, and expreſly required them to deliver themſelves into his hand, Jer. 21. 8, 9. And Subjects are to pray for their life, Ezra 6. 10. and welfare, whoſe Subjects they are, (albeit they be Heathens and Tyrants), by Gods expreſs command, 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. Nor is it in vain in reſpect of Subjects themſelves; becauſe by this means, 1. God is engaged in his own way of Prayer, for their better governing, and that thoſe under them may lead a quiet and a peaceable life, 1 Tim. 2. 2. Hence even Pagan Princes are reſtrained, and do leſs evil, and more good; as upon Daniel's prayers, his and his fellows lives were ſaved; and they by his means (through the good ſucceſs of his and their prayers with God, relating to the King, and the action then in hand) were received into favour and promoted, no doubt to the benefit and faring better of the whole Church of God, Dan. 2. 18, 23, 46, 48, 49. In this way alſo King Ahaſuerus reverſed his own Decree, at leaſt made a contrary Decree, and ſo Eſther, Mordecai, and the Jews were delivered, and Haman hanged. Thus alſo praying, Neh. 4. 9. Nehemiah (Chap. 1. 11. & 2. 4.) had favour and aſſiſtance from the Heathen-King for building the Walls of Jeruſalem. 2. Such Prayers may work for the Converſion of Church-oppreſſing Princes (eſpecially in Goſpel-times wherein God would have all (of what Nation or Condition ſoever) to be ſaved, 1 Tim. 2. 4. 3. Howſoever, much hath been done in this way for Heathens conviction, and for the honour of the true God, Dan. 2. 18, 47. & 6. 10, 26, 27.
Whereunto may be referred the obtaining of rain by the Prayers of a Legion Fulmine… Legio, Euſeb. l. 5 c. 5.of Chriſtian Soldiers under Aurelius the Emperour, when elſe his Army was like to have periſhed, which was more than all their Heathen-gods could help them to, Jer. 14. 22. 4. Yea, the praying Captives at length ſo prevailed, Jer. 29. 12, 13, 14. that they had free liberty to return out of Captivity into their own Country and City to repair it, and to build a ſecond Temple there, Ezra 1. 2, 3. & 6. 12, 15.
2. This contains not only praying for the King, on whom depends the welfare of the State, but alſo for the State of Babylon, on which depended the welfare of the King. This proſperity of the State may be ſet forth by the peace of the City, the glory and ſafety of the State being therein ſeated, Pray for the peace of Jeruſalem, Pſal. 122. 6. is (in effect) to pray for Iſraels welfare, and for the whole ſtate of the Jews; for inferiour places are the Daughters, Ezek. 16. 48. the chief City is the Mother, and the Daughters ſtand or fall with the Mother-city. If the principal City be left, though many other Cities be taken, there may be a reparation, but all's loſt when that's ruined, as the Babyloniſh Empire was when this City Babylon was taken, Dan. 5. 30, 31. Func. Anno Mundi 34 25.
Thus we ſee what they were to ſeek and pray for.
Secondly, Followeth the reaſon why they were ſo to do, for in the peace thereof ye ſhall have peace: So that when they prayed for the peace of Babylon, they prayed for themſelves, and for the Church of God now imbodied there; where alſo they were (by Gods command here, v. 5, 6.) to build, plant, marry, and be encreaſed; and where they became (afterward) ſo well accommodated, that they were loth to come from thence (though at Gods call) into their own Country, beſet with enemies; foreſeeing that they might abide in Babylon with more eaſe, Zach. 2. 6. But whilſt Gods will was that they ſhould be there, his will alſo was that they ſhould ſeek the peace of that which was now their own place; as a man bound in Priſon, hath reaſon to pray for the preſervation of the Priſon, leſt if that be fired, he be burnt; and ſo Jonah and Paul for the preſervation of the Ships wherein they ſailed.
This Command may mind us of ſome other things, viz.
1. That it is not unlawful, but allowed us to pray for our own peace and proſperity, 1 Chron. 4. 10. but eſpecially it is a great duty to pray for the Churches peace, Pſal. 122. 6. & 51. 18. & 137. 5, 6. Yet is there a further end to be aimed at in this, that is the glory and ſervice of God, Pſal. 51. 19. & 122. 9. Gen. 28. 21, 22.
2. That when we cannot have the peace we would have, we muſt pray to God for the peace we may have. If we cannot have peace in Zion, we muſt ſeek (and therefore thank God for Pſal. 50. 15.) peace in Babylon, peace in a Priſon, and praiſe God the more if he give it there, Act. 16. 25.
3. And we may mind this alſo, that it runs croſs to this Command, not to wiſh well to and pray heartily for the State and Land in which we live, eſpecially wherein we live, not as Captives, but as Natives. As he that provides not for his own, ſo he that prays not for his own, comes ſhort of Infidels, Jon. 3. 5, 6, &c. and (ſure) of the Church here captivated among and under Infidels.
It's true that when there is a ſad difference, and diſpute between two Proteſtant Nations, there are two things (even by the prevailing party), to be mourned for: 1. The weakning of the Proteſtant Party, and the advantaging and encouraging of the Enemies of the Truth. 2. The greater miſery of War which they that are vanquiſhed muſt needs ſuſtain: But yet comparing one State with another, if it be applied to the War between England and Holland, and the moſt fierce Sea-ſight, June 8, 9, 10, &c. we have reaſon to take comfort in, and bleſs God for, the better ſucceſs of our own, we being Proteſtants as well as they, and this being the land of our Nativity. Briefly, we are in ſuch a caſe to rejoyce with trembling; to rejoyce, becauſe of the undeſerved favour of Divine Providence, wherein we are prefer'd; and yet with trembling, becauſe we hew down a company that ſupport true Religion together with our ſelves; and becauſe Victory is gotten at ſo hard an hand, that we may See Calv. in loc.ſee our ſin in our ſucceſs.